Brodkorb: Petition calls for Bakk to resign as Senate Majority Leader

A prominent progressive activist has started an online petition which calls for State Senator Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook) to resign as Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate.

Steve Timmer, a retired lawyer from Edina and host of Drinking Liberally, said Bakk "lost the confidence of [his] caucus and the people of Minnesota."

Over the last few weeks, members of the Senate DFL Caucus have been publicly vocal with their criticism of Bakk about the final negotiations in the closing days of the legislative session. State Senator Bev Scalze, (DFL-Little Canada) spoke to the Associated Press about internal strife in the Senate DFL Caucus, saying "we're having trouble. There's no doubt about it."

In his petition, Timmer also references comments from State Senator Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis), who wrote in an email to Bakk, "many of us feel disrespected, taken for granted, and that we were played for fools and pawns in some game of power that only a select few caucus members are playing."

In an interview tonight, Timmer wrote he hopes "the petition stands on its own." Timmer added, there is a "recital of complaints" about Bakk's "handling of the session by DFLers and progressives in general."

Picture source: Minnesota Senate